End of Year Assembly 2015

Once a year we all come together in the Hall – twenty two classes from Primary 1 to Primary 7 – for our End of Year Assembly, led by Headteacher Mrs Alison Noble. We were delighted to welcome Parent Council representatives: outgoing Chair, Claire Wheeler, new Chair Kristel Torokoff, outgoing Convener Fundraising and Events, Aileen Nimmo, as well as Fiona Denvir, Clubs. Mrs Noble thanked Claire and Aileen for the huge contribution they have made to the school throughout the year, in an extraordinary year of fundraising and events.

Headteacher, Mrs Alison Noble, led the End of Year Assembly

Thank you to outgoing Chair of Parent Council Claire Wheeler for her huge contribution to the life of the school. Claire now joins the national body SPTC (Scottish Parent Teacher Council) who will certainly benefit from her expertise and talent.

Thank you to outgoing Parent Council Fundraising and Event Convener Aileen Nimmo for her dedication and commitment in supporting school developments, which have led to an extraordinary year of fundraising and activities for the whole school community.

Team Sciennes

Mrs Noble thanked the entire Parent Council as well as families, pupils and staff who have successfully worked together to achieve our ambitious plans to improve the playground. Mrs Noble was able to announce that work begins on Monday 29th June! Thank you to SportScotland for match funding and to City of Edinburgh Council for pulling out all the stops to progress playground improvements so that we can maximise the window of seven weeks’ summer holiday.

Mrs Noble led everyone in our fond farewells to staff and pupils who are moving on.Pupils sang “We Wish You Well” and watched a montage review of the year.

Our very best wishes to Mr Terry Anthony who has taken up a new post as Class Teacher at Gylemuir Primary School. Mr Anthony was unfortunately unable to attend the Assembly, but met with staff the previous evening. He was thanked in his absence by Ms Gaffney and Ms Gallagher for his huge contribution to Sciennes, working with classes throughout the entire school this year. A very cultured, knowledgeable, versatile and charming teacher, we are very grateful to Mr Anthony and will miss him as a close colleague and friend.

Mr Jonathan Wallace

It was with a heavy heart, but all our very best wishes, that we bade fond farewell to Mr Jonathan Wallace, our Active Schools Co-ordinator for James Gillespie’s High School Cluster, who takes on an exciting new role, with additional responsibilities, in the Royal High School Cluster.

Mr Wallace has been a crucial member of our staff: facilitating and co-ordinating all the morning, lunchtime and after school Active Schools Clubs based at Sciennes and various venues; providing curricular coaches and activities for classes throughout the year; supporting JASS in school and all EPSSA sporting events; assisting with trials for EPSSA events; accompanying us to Benmore and Lagganlia; working with Ms Kennedy to provide activities for Fun and Frolics and running the highly successful P7 Cluster Transition Days at Meadowbank over the last four and a half years. Based at James Gillespie‘s High School, Mr Wallace has also provided sterling support to all six cluster primary schools: Sciennes, Tollcross, James Gillespie’s Primary, Preston Street, Royal Mile and Taobh na Pairce.

The Active Schools programme is highly prized and the Active Schools Cluster Co-ordinator is a very demanding role: we are indebted to Mr Wallace for his commitment and expertise and will miss him very much. We are certain he will make as much of an impact in his new post and we wish him continued success in his career.

Pupils presented Mr Wallace with a Memory Book capturing some of the highlights from his time with us at Sciennes. Keep in touch, Mr Wallace!

Sciennes Memory Book for Mr Wallace, with new Chair of School Council Kristel seated to the right.

Euan Morrice – Sports Development Officer with the City of Edinburgh Council Sports and Outdoor Education Unit – presented P6 pupil Yash with two engraved trophies which he can keep for a year for winning first place in BOTH Badminton and Table Tennis tournaments this year.

Euan Morrice, CEC Sports Unit

Yash won First Place trophies for both EPSSA Badminton and Racquet tournaments earlier this year.

Magnificent Sevens

We also wished fond farewell to our magnificent Primary Sevens, so proud of their confidence and readiness for the next steps to secondary school and beyond. Mr Howie, Mrs Barker, Ms Sellar and Mr McKenna provided an end of term treat with their surprise video of staff dancing to “Walking on Sunshine”. It was lovely to watch the Primary Seven pupils perform “You Can Count on Me” at Assembly and we truly have been able to count on them as magnificent role models for the rest of the school.

Mrs Noble rang the bell and led them out in procession as the other classes lined the stairwell on the last day of term. Keep in touch, Primary Seven! Remember to save the date of your special invitation back to Sciennes to see the new playground – “S1 The Return” on Friday 28th August 1pm.(Photographs of end of term events for P7 will appear on the Class of 2008 page which can also be accessed from the LINKS button on the school website.)

Wishing all our families a safe, HAPPY and relaxing holiday. We look forward to welcoming pupils back to Sciennes on MONDAY 17th AUGUST.

Staff are less likely to boogie for our end of term surprise video if we publish online, so here is the next best thing: Pharell Williams’ “Happy.”Keep smiling!